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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

People in Council houses should be reassessed…

352 replies

AlwaysAnnoyed · 30/08/2022 20:44

I want to tread carefully. But then again I’m pissed off.

I live in a 3 bed house with a mortgage. On our estate there is a selection of Council houses. I have no issue with people having Council homes, people fall on hard times and DESERVE support.

however what really grinds my gears, is on our estate we have one Council house which have 2 brand new Audi’s. Top of the range. Just got back off holiday to Florida. Weekends away. they pay £350 a month to the council for this 4 bed property. (They are very loud about telling everyone this)

it really really winds me up. We have a COST of living crisis, people are going to be struggling to pay bills but yet there are people who are in these Council houses on holidays and brand new cars.

it doesn’t seem fair. Surely Council houses need to be regularly means tested… How can this happen? Able to afford 2 brand new cars but cannot afford to pay their own rent/mortgage!

or am I just being a moany witch!

OP posts:
Londongirl79 · 31/08/2022 02:45

Why should private landlords make a profit from housing but not the local authority ? Doesn’t make sense.

cadburyegg · 31/08/2022 03:02

I'm a single mum with a mortgage and I don't resent someone in a council home taking their kids on holiday.

Idk why people care so much to be honest.

It would cost far more to organise and administrate regular means testing for EVERY family in a council home.

richcouncilhousetenantfreehouse · 31/08/2022 04:37

AlwaysAnnoyed · 30/08/2022 23:08

@Freedom2023 it is

You most certainly do not get the rent you've paid used as a deposit. The right to buy scheme doesn't work like that.

lovelilies · 31/08/2022 07:03

@x2boys I know the insane out of my neighbours same as the op.
People like to talk, especially if they're bragging about having lots of cash or if they're skint.

Zebedee55 · 31/08/2022 07:04

RTB gives a discount based on the number of years a person has been a tenant, up to the capped amount.

It has nothing to do with previous rent payments. 🙄

TigerRag · 31/08/2022 07:25

How do so many people know about their neighbours financial situation? Only my mother knows mine and dad knows a bit. My neighbours know nothing and I know nothing of theirs. (But I am aware that they work)

tabulahrasa · 31/08/2022 07:51

Londongirl79 · 31/08/2022 02:45

Why should private landlords make a profit from housing but not the local authority ? Doesn’t make sense.

Because that’s not what councils are for...

Same as they don’t make a profit from nurseries or refuse collection and private companies do.

BashfulClam · 31/08/2022 07:51

When you move into a council house it’s bare. No carpets or floor coverings, no decoration etc. that’s all falls to the incoming tenant. So someone died a a fortune on flooring, turning green it into a home and decorating just to be turfed out because they earn more than people think they should? It’s not temporary accommodation.

gamerchick · 31/08/2022 08:00

EddyF · 31/08/2022 00:07

The OP sounds so uneducated. “I fink this and that should happen”. Go and cry a river; nobody cares.

I think since the Daily Mail take so many posts from here, this site has attracted their readership to come here. This place is unrecognisable. People just writing anything as fact rather than hearsay. I miss the old MN.

Nah I've been coming a decade and we've always had council houses are free threads.

gamerchick · 31/08/2022 08:10

It would cost far more to organise and administrate regular means testing for EVERY family in a council home

It won't happen because SH is not and has never been linked to benefits. People would like it to be obviously, but it isn't.

People in private rents are more likely to be on housing benefits and therefore subsidised, but private rents are seen as the goal when it's a step down from SH.

The private part is what needs dealing with

RocketPanda · 31/08/2022 08:11

Your anger is in completely the wrong direction. Rage against the private rental sector making a fortune on over inflated rents. Rage against the rocketing cost of living. Rage against the government who have allowed children to go hungry.
Your neighbours are just living their lives and are an easy target for you to blame so that you don't have to think too hard about the real villains.

giveovernate · 31/08/2022 08:12

AlwaysAnnoyed · 30/08/2022 20:51

@x2boys because they are our neighbours and like to tell us. They are very proud that they only have to pay minimal amounts for their property and can spend their other funds on cars and holidays

And you choose to buy your home? We have different needs and priorities?

Original poster
AlwaysAnnoyed · 31/08/2022 08:14

qtpa2t · 30/08/2022 23:20

this is kinda wild. There are people genuinely struggling. If you can afford anything but food and electricity then you should pay full rent. I'm not paying tax to support someone's Mallorca dreams. There are single mothers out there barely managing to feed their children because of crazy rent prices.

Yes!!!!!!!!

OP posts:
richcouncilhousetenantfreehouse · 31/08/2022 08:16

Imagining all these naked families getting thrown out of their council houses for buying more than food and electric.

Scaredypup · 31/08/2022 08:24

Council rent is not subsidised. I pay £750 pm for a 3 bedroom flat. Yes it’s in London, so cheaper than the inflated private rent but definitely not cheap. I also didn’t get my flat because I had ‘fallen on hard times’. No amount of saving would ever help me get a mortgage. I don’t earn enough, can’t work more, and have bad credit history. So I’m your mind id be forced out of my home into private rentals and have no security for my children?

knittingaddict · 31/08/2022 08:27

AlwaysAnnoyed · 30/08/2022 20:57

@x2boys You don’t believe me? Ok go away. I talk about my finances until the cows come home to anyone. Why does it have to be a secret to know how much someone pays for things?? Just because you wouldn’t do it doesn’t mean someone else would.

We you are very unusual. I am an oversharer, as my posts on here will show, and I don't talk about how much money we have coming in or details of what we spend it on. I 100% wouldn't do that with neighbours.

Regardless of that, I grew up on council estates and I think you sound judgemental. My parents were badly off and needed a council house, but they have never just been for the poor. We were surrounded by all levels of income, but they weren't such great places that people stayed if they could afford to move out. Presumably people stay because it's their home.

Original poster
AlwaysAnnoyed · 31/08/2022 08:28

Just to confirm as most of you seem to think I’m this evil bitter old twisted hag.

I have no bad feelings for social housing. I never have. My post was just about those in social housing being able to live not just a normal life, a LAVISH life while in a Council house. When there are others desperate to be placed.
there are not enough SH properties so my post was about things needing to be done.

with the cost of living crisis no doubt people are going to be needing SH more than ever.

I’ve never said “kick people out while they’re naked” as @richcouncilhousetenantfreehouse suggests.

I just said something needed to be done to help those that are the worst off. The government aren’t going to build any more Council homes than planned.

So my solutions were ones with the current situation.

surely most people can agree that a 4 person family stuck in a 1 room bnb with no food waiting to be placed is in grater need than people who are able to outlay £500(estimate) a month on 2 brand new Audi’s. But as said I’m not saying “kick them out” I’m saying work with people to help them.

councils work with private landlords to help those SMALL AMOUNT OF PEOPLE who could afford more than Council houses to have a discounted rent.

never about my dislike of people in Council houses not being deserving. Post was about where is the cut off….

OP posts:
TigerRag · 31/08/2022 08:31

Do you know much debt those people with the Audis are in?

Meatshake · 31/08/2022 08:32

I think it's a case of staying in your own lane and not taking things at face value.

You don't know dick about other people's finances

knittingaddict · 31/08/2022 08:32

"Well you are very unusual" that should say.

richcouncilhousetenantfreehouse · 31/08/2022 08:33

Who's going to assess what people in council houses spend their money on? Will they have to show proof of not being a council house tenant to shop in Waitrose? Council tenants get only allowed cars up to a certain value so if you want to buy a new Audi then you have to take your house deeds with you?

It's a stupid idea. It is unworkable and it will further disadvantage children who are already disadvantaged. It will make people homeless every few months or years instead of giving them a secure home. If you've never been homeless or in a private rent where you can be put out at the whim of a landlord you have no idea of the sick feeling in your stomach that gives you.

gamerchick · 31/08/2022 08:33

There isn't one because SH is not linked to benefits.

It's not a discounted rent, it's a fair rent. As you've been told a million times on this thread. You're focusing on the wrong thing.

PaperMonster · 31/08/2022 08:35

Bloomin eck. I live in a HA house and have been to Florida a couple of times. Can’t afford to buy a house here, but I have been able to afford a Florida holiday after a lot of saving up. You sound like a right judgy pants.

richcouncilhousetenantfreehouse · 31/08/2022 08:36

I couldn't have bought a house when I was given my council house. I had no money. I had to furnish and kit out a house from top to bottom. I had 3 traumatised kids and a job and fuck me but my mental health was on the floor.

I was so grateful for the stability the secure tenure gave me I can't even describe it. I knew I could raise my kids and we would be safe and stable.

If I had continued to get evicted time after time (and tbh I haven't even touched on the costs of that - moving, storage, the ball ache of all the life admin that has to be moved addresses, new school uniforms) my kids would have suffered. And that isn't fair on them.

CeeJay81 · 31/08/2022 08:39

So your saying if your income goes up a bit and you can afford a few luxuries then you should be thrown out and asked to seek private rent?. Maybe there should be more controls on private rent then. I was brought up by a single mother with little money and we private rented most of my childhood. Every 2 to 3 years we'd have to move cause the landlord wanted the house back. It was awful and not a life anyone would want for their children.

You cant get long term private rentals? it tends to be 6 months at a time or maybe a year. So why would people give up their council houses for uncertainty. If they can afford to buy fair enough but its not easy, house prices are so stupid that it's not an option for many.